Festival Promotes Gender Equality: "Equality in billing between genders shouldn't be a rare achievement, it should be the standard."
Unleashing the Beat's Keith Miller, Tash Cutts, and Jamal Guthrie dive into music, diversity, inclusivity, and the progressive actions they're promoting to ignite conversation and action.
This summer, a fresh festival sensation graces London's Brockwell Park—Wide Awake, promising an "unconventional music experience" for the public on June 5th.
Born from the Test Pressing Festival, Wide Awake boasts an impressive roster of original Field Day and Dimensions founding members, along with the vibrant personalities behind MOTH Club, The Shacklewell Arms, The Waiting Room, Peckham Audio, and Studio 9294. Given this powerhouse team, it's no surprise that Wide Awake is shaping up to be one of the hottest parties on the town's music calendar.
On their official site, Wide Awake trumpets that it's "a party for people who care… about music and more." We were intrigued by the proactive stance the festival took even before its debut, so we jumped at the opportunity to delve deeper.
First off, Keith, Tash, and Jamal, massive congratulations on crafting a fantastic new festival for this year! Your lineup is a dream come true for fans of the underground scene. It embodies Counter Culture perfectly, and we can't wait to celebrate with you in June!
When the concept for Wide Awake first emerged, what set it apart from other festivals that had come before it?
Keith: Primarily, I was thrilled about the opportunity to build a festival from the ground up. All we had at the beginning was the park and the date. A blank canvas allowed us to sit down and chat about every possible idea we could think of regarding the festival's identity, causes we wanted to address, artists we wanted on the bill, and audience demographics.
The name-search session led me to a shower gel with the words "WIDE AWAKE" on it, which felt like a fitting moniker given my early-morning work routine and the lively performances I appreciate, particularly from acts like Parquet Courts. Since many of our booked acts have graced the stages of our venues, we tried to stay true to our programming philosophy and bring together the acts we've been championing for years. Essentially, it's our annual office picnic—but in a field rather than a smaller venue.
Kudos to you for acknowledging and prioritizing gender and diversity in your lineup. It seems as though the imbalance plaguing some festivals has become the ugly norm. How did gender equality play a role in your artist selection process? Are you disheartened that it's still not a consideration in some parts of the industry?
Tash: In today's world, it's unfortunate but understandable that a 50/50 lineup should be considered the norm rather than a celebration. However, for a new festival, it was crucial to create a blueprint that emphasizes gender balance and inclusion.
Expanding on this topic, do you strive for gender equality and diversity not only among your artists, but across every aspect of Wide Awake?
Tash: We take pride in fostering gender equality and diversity within our team, partners, and collaborators. Our team is made up of talented individuals from various backgrounds, and we are continually working to make positive changes in the way we operate.
Do you sense a shift in the music industry as a whole, embracing the significance of gender equality and diversity?
Tash: Attention toward gender equality has increased, but it's often in response to oversights. We must drive the conversation forward by incorporating these issues from the outset—not as an afterthought. Proactiveness is key.
Jamal, you've highlighted Wide Awake's positive environmental policy. If you could see one permanent change in the music industry to help mitigate the damage inflicted on our planet, what would it be?
Jamal: We're collaborating with Music Declares Emergency, It's Freezing In LA, HUBBUB, and Eco Disco to implement eco-friendly practices such as using HVO Fuel, eco-friendly toilets, banning single-use plastic, and more. Our goal is to engage the industry and individuals in taking direct climate action. Wide Awake falls on World Environment Day 2020!
Are there any initiatives you weren't able to implement this year that you're hoping to develop in the future?
Keith: We're researching the development of a pneumatic festival floor for smaller attendees. In addition, we're working on a "dickhead trapdoor"—though that won't be unveiled until 2022 at the earliest thanks to a few legal hurdles. Mostly, we're focusing on festival floor inventions.
Any performances in particular you're eagerly anticipating on June 5th?
Keith: I'm personally excited to witness black midi performing for their hometown crowd in a late-night slot on the main stage. I also look forward to seeing Crack Cloud, Los Bitchos, and Faux Ferocious attracting new fans, as well as rising acts like Black Country, New Road and Squid making their mark on The Windmill Stage. There are so many talented acts on the bill that it'll be a challenge to catch them all!
And, to wrap things up, who are the women in music you most admire?
Tash: A shout-out must go to organizations supporting women in music, such as She Said So, Ladies/Music/Pub, and LOUD WOMEN. They create safe spaces for women to share ideas, encourage one another, and inspire the next generation.
There are far too many inspiring women in music to name, but special recognition goes to Jess Partridge of London In Stereo, Georgia Hardy of Spilt Milk & Route, and Maddy O'Keefe, Adélaïde De Alfaro, Saskia Wood, Olya Dyer who have worked tirelessly on Wide Awake, in addition to all the fantastic women performing at the festival and contributing to its production.
Wide Awake commences on Friday, June 5th, 2020! Tickets are on sale now. Sign up to be the first to know about exclusive pre-orders, special offers, and more.
*Wide Awake's mission to address music and broader social issues is evident in their proactive stance, as they aim to tackle topics like gender equality, diversity, and climate change.* The festival's emphasis on gender balance and inclusion extends beyond the artist selection process, encompassing a diverse team and partners.* The music industry as a whole is making strides towards embracing gender equality and diversity, but initiatives like Wide Awake are crucial in driving the conversation further.* Wide Awake is committed to environmental sustainability, collaborating with various organizations to implement eco-friendly practices.* Plans for future initiatives include developing a pneumatic festival floor for smaller attendees and a "dickhead trapdoor," though legal hurdles may delay the latter.* Performances on the Wide Awake lineup such as black midi, Crack Cloud, and Los Bitchos are highly anticipated.* Admiration for women in music extends beyond individual artists to organizations that support and empower women in the industry, such as She Said So and Ladies/Music/Pub.* Special recognition is given to individuals like Jess Partridge of London In Stereo, Georgia Hardy of Spilt Milk & Route, and Maddy O'Keefe, Adélaïde De Alfaro, Saskia Wood, and Olya Dyer, who have contributed significantly to Wide Awake and the music industry as a whole.* Wide Awake tickets are now on sale, with exclusive pre-orders and special offers available for those who sign up on their official site.
